Roof Rack OK in Car Washes?

[Flipper]

As a 3 day owner of an '03 black mica P5 , I know I'll need to wash it often to keep it looking as great as it looks new. A car wash place is the best bet in winter.

The manual says to remove the cross bars before going through a car wash - not convenient. Of course, you see lots of other vehicles with roof racks going through without a problem, and I bet they have the same warning. Having said that, I knew of someone with a Trek Jetta who messed up their rack this way.

Have P5 owners with the factory roof rack been successful in taking their P5's through car wash without damage?

 

[PeaB0dy]

The are probably reffering to the soft cloth washes, I would think touchles car washed would be fine..

 

[alexlitov]

Welcome to the forum.

You would be fine, but personally I wouldn't sugest that for a black mica since you will have scratches and swirl marks from that type of car wash...

 

[PepiMartinez]

DEFINITLY scratches. I have a Black MP5 too, and the car wash by me definitly gave me a few nice scratches.

Pepi

 

[Natey]

Your roof rack will be fine.
But the tracks that your car is pushed along in those washes will scratch the sh-t out of your rims.

Hand wash.

 

[mazdadan]

If you must, I would stick with a touchless wash. Or if you don't want to wash it at home, take it to a car wash with a DIY bay.

 

[s2gordon]

DIY bays can be just as bad... God know what the hell the people before you used those brushes on. I went to one once and there was all type of sand and grease in the brush.
I have a black Mica also and it's strickly Hand Wash 1-2 a week and touchless if I'm in a rush and need to get some dirt off really quick and I don't expect a show room shine.

 

[mtnbiker26]

High pressure water, bro. That's it. One summer I actually worked in a car wash that filtered and recycled the water, but the crazy part is that they would scrub the walls with muriatic acid to remove the mold and the acid would just run into the pit with all the other water to be recycled. Yikes!

 

[Flipper]

OK, people - I'm convinced that I should not take my black mica P5 near a cloth/contact car wash. Normally, I'm not so anal about appearance to avoid a few car washes in the winter. But black does show swirls the worst and since the car is new, it's worth the effort of hand washes at least until the highway sandblast takes its toll after a few years.

Re: the DIY washes with those nasty brushes, I agree completely. If I ever go to those during winter to avoid icing up my driveway, I'll bring a bucket and sponge to basically do the hand wash with my own stuff, but with their warm water. Careful with this though since the owners are making less money since the wash portion is not using their equipment. They might get in your face about it.

Thanks for the help.

 

[mazdadan]

DIY bays can be just as bad... God know what the hell the people before you used those brushes on. I went to one once and there was all type of sand and grease in the brush.
I have a black Mica also and it's strickly Hand Wash 1-2 a week and touchless if I'm in a rush and need to get some dirt off really quick and I don't expect a show room shine.

That's why you bring your own sponges/brushes. LOL...Sometimes I use the DIY brushes to scrub out the bed of my truck after hauling stuff. They aren't meant for the paint or anything scratchable...hehe

 

[Coqui258]

Yeah when I go to those bays, I ONLY use the high pressure hose, NEVER use the brush. They are mainly for scrubbing your tires (which I don't do either) and people don't care about those brushes... they throw them on the ground and all other stuff to them. Just get some cheap microfiber towels, take it to a "do it yourself (diy)" bays and clean away!

 

[VengefulTick]

Hand was man...hand wash. I love hand washing my P5. But, like the others, when I don't have time, I just use the pressure wash in the DIY bays. The brush I use for my tires.

Oh, and I have taken my car through every maner of car wash at one time or another, all with my roof rack on. The thing you have to watch out for is your antenna.....its easily removed.

 

[TXMazdaSpeeder]

if i cant hand wash i take it to the diy bay with my wash mit.

 

[NRRfrogmanP5]

yeah it should be fine....but do it urself......my hands were purple lst week from washin outside but its well worth it to see a nice shiney car